Style Principle #11: Unconscious Bias

An unconscious bias is a rule or restriction we place on ourselves that impacts how we dress and what we buy.

These restrictions are generally learnt from our parents, authority figures, siblings or the media.

A bias is revealed through your self talk or some of the knee jerk reactions you have when you are trying something new.

Biases show up in price, hemlines, labels, certain pieces that you are (or are not) willing to try and even, colour combinations (Anyone else grow up adhering to the rule “blue and green shall never be seen“ or that black and brown don’t “go“?).

Price and what you are willing to spend on an item is quite a common restriction.

Putting the obvious budgetary constraints aside (we should always shop within our means), if you grew up in a household where your parents believed that fashion was frivolous, then you may be unconsciously restricting the amount you are willing to spend on a piece.

Instead of investing in your wardrobe by purchasing pieces of good quality that will last because you value fashion and the power of style, you restrict your spending to an amount your parents would approved of. In doing so, you end up with a wardrobe that doesn’t reflect your appreciation for your clothes.

Label or style bias is another common restriction.

You may think “I could never wear wide leg jeans” or “… shop from that store.”

It’s important to unpack these limitations and assess where they came from and whether they are a fair assessment of where you are currently at.

More often than not, a client who has said to us “wide leg pants don’t suit me” or “nothing but skinny jeans work for me” are pleasantly surprised that wide leg pants or straight leg jeans can work for them. All they needed was an open mind and guidance on how to select the right item for their body (e.g. looking for the correct rise for their torso).

Be aware of confirmation bias when you are trying to explore new pieces or brands.

Our brain will look for reasons, excuses and validation to prove our biases right. If you select a pair of straight leg jeans to try on and think “these will never suit me”, that is likely to be your immediate thought when you try them on.

Breaking down these biases is an important part of your personal style journey as they may be what is holding you back from expressing your individuality and dressing the way you want to feel.

Give yourself permission to buy, try and wear the things you want to wear.

If you feel like you need to break your fashion biases, our Spring Time Style special is the perfect way to bring your style goals to life. You deserve to be able to get dresses with ease and confidence.

Book a free 15 minute call here and we can have a chat or send an email to [email protected]. 

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